You Are Too Smart

“I don’t trust Mundungus Fletcher,” Hermione stated closing the book of fairy tales but marking her page with her finger.

Snape looked at the girl and wondered at the amazing mind behind the constant questions and curly head. Snape did not trust the little thief either but he could not voice his mistrust to the children.

“He’s just a doof,” Weasley replied.

“You’re a doof,” Draco said, “He’s creepy. I agree with Hermione.”

Weasley’s face was red but he bit his lip and did not say anything in retaliation. Severus was glad for the truce, however it happened.

He left the children to their discussions of trust and walked into Minerva’s office. She was gone at the moment but that was fine. He wanted to speak to Albus’s portrait.

Albus was looking at him keenly as Severus sat in the chair facing the portrait.

“You seem vexed Severus.”

“You gave her the book.”

“Who?”

“Don’t play coy Albus. You gave Miss Granger the fairy tale book. She is too smart for her own good and she got Draco dreaming about the Elder Wand. She is curious and keeps reading the same chapter over and over. She knows and she knows I know.”

“Severus…”

“Albus.”

Severus watched as Albus sat in the seat in his portrait and seemed to gather his thoughts.

“The wand is buried with my body.”

Severus flinched.

“When the time comes Severus, Tom Riddle will retrieve it. He will not fear my dead form. YOU must be careful. Since you were the one that took my life he will assume that the wand belongs to you. Your safety is key as well as the children’s. I have something for Harry and Ron as well.”

He pointed to the case next to his portrait, “You will find what you need for them in the case.”

Severus rose and opened the case. Inside the case were several objects, including the Sword of Gryffindor that Severus had not noticed was missing from their stash in the Room of Requirement.

“The Sword returns to where it wants to reside until it is needed again Severus. You are looking for a golden snitch and my put-outer.”

Severus removed the objects, “The other items?”

“They will be distributed as needed, though that may be sooner that I had thought. Leave the sword but the flower pin will go to Miss Weasley, the crystal ball to Miss Lovegood, and dagger to Mr. Finnigan.”

“Why would I need these now?”

“Because I am afraid you will be guarding more children Severus.”

“Please not Longbottom,” Severus sighed. Albus laughed from his portrait.

Severus turned and strode into the back hall and down the corridor to the Room of Requirement. He opened the door to see Longbottom, Finnigan, Lovegood and the female Weasley in the room. Everyone was chattering loud enough to wake the dead.

Narcissa was sitting in a chair watching the proceedings with a small interest but not interfering.

“Professor!” Hermione rushed forward with the book.

The room quieted and Longbottom looked as if he was going to faint.

Severus looked at the book where she was pointing out the three objects.

“Professor, Draco said you told him he was the owner of the Elder Wand. Does this mean there is a stone that can call the dead?”

Severus looked at the girl, “You are too smart for your own good.”

She looked hurt for a moment then smiled at him.

There was an instant uproar of youthful chatter until he gave them he meanest sneer and crossed his arms over his chest. There was blissful silence instantly.

“Mr. Potter come here.”

The boy rose and the green eyes like his mother Lily’s met Severus. He handed the boy the box containing the snitch.

“Mr. Weasley.”

He rose and stumbled to Severus grasping the box and returning to his seat next to Potter.

“Miss Lovegood and Miss Weasley.”

The two girls rose and walked to him. Lovegood gave him a dreamy look before returning to her spot next to Longbottom who still looked terrified. The Weasley girl faced him with a defiance he had only seen in Narcissa Malfoy when she was younger.

“Mr. Finnigan.”

The boy put down Potter’s Firebolt that he had been stroking lovingly and strode towards him. The Irish boy was never fearful of him like others. He had took the dagger and looked at Severus, nodding before returning to his seat.

Draco gave him a grumpy look and Miss Granger looked sad until that fascinating brain of hers kicked into gear. She gave Draco a playful punch as the light came on.

“He’s giving us things we’ll need. Albus gave them too him. The wand will come to you when the time is right. I got the book to find the clues. And the other objects we’ll learn their use as they come! Oh. Harry! The stone’s in the Snitch!”

Severus glared at the girl.

Narcissa looked at him, “Is she right Severus?”

“Yes. I do not know what the objects are for. You will have to figure those out on your own. But when the time comes I am certain you all will have figured out their reasoning and not through Miss Granger.”

There was chattering as they all looked at the objects. Severus went to interrupt and fell to the ground clutching his arm as a wave of pain shot through it then stopped.

Narcissa, Hermione and the others were surrounding him.

“Draco…” he whispered, “the band, put it on.”

The boy dug the small gold band out of his back pocket and clamped it over his dark mark.

Severus jerked again in pain as another jolt went through the wriggling black mark on his arm.

When the pain stopped he looked again at Draco. The boy was fine but for a look of fear on his face.

“Miss Granger.”

She bent down to him.

“When Durmstrang was here, did Viktor Krum happen to give you something before he left?”

She blushed dark fuchsia but hurried to her bag, returning with a small vial.

“He wouldn’t tell me what it was. He said it belonged to Karkaroff and he thought I would need it for someone I knew.”

“You will. It is a potion that Karkaroff used to hid from The Dark Lord for so long. Give it to Draco.”

Severus rose and nodded at Draco, “Keep the band on. Gold blocks the Dark Lord’s power, thus the reason he refuses his underlings to wear any kind of gold. Drink one cap of that at the same time every day.”

“Severus where are you going?” Narcissa asked following him.

“To answer the Dark Lord’s call.”

“NO! YOU WILL NOT!” she screamed at him.

“Narcissa…”

“He will KILL you! Do you think Lucius can keep secrets from him? He…”

“The Dark Lord will not kill me yet Narcissa. Not until he knows for certain what he wants to know.”

Severus strode from the room and disappeared down a hidden passage before Narcissa could catch up with him.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Severus laid on the ground the Cruciatus coursing through his veins.

The Dark Lord stood above him holding Lucius Malfoy’s wand. The pimp cane outclassed the Dark Lord and looked awkward in his spidery grasp.

Severus laughed. The madness was overtaking him.

“You dare laugh at the Dark Lord,” screamed Bellatrix Lestrange as she kicked Severus in the ribs.

“Bella, now, that is no way to treat Severus,” came the hissing voice.

Naigini slithered close to Severus flicking her tongue erratically and he had the brief fear that he was going to be eaten alive by the horrendous beast but the Dark Lord hissed a command and she slithered away.

“Now, Severus, where are Narcissa and the boy?”

“My lord, I have told you, I don’t know. I thought the boy was dead, that I had brought the real one to you.”

“You would blame Narcissa for this? How convenient,” snorted Lucius from where he was standing in the corner of the room watching, “You would have me believe she did not come to you?”

“No. I have not seen her since I left your house three weeks ago.”

“So what have you been doing all this time?” Bella screamed at him.

“Gathering information.”

“What could we need from you?” she spit on his face. Severus resisted the urge to grab her ankle and break it with his bare hand.

“That the Elder Wand is buried with Albus Dumbledore.”

The Dark Lord looked at him and leaned forward starring. Severus felt the intrusion in his mind and forced pictures forward of Alastor Moody and Minerva McGonagall talking about the Elder Wand and it’s location.

The Dark Lord hissed and for a brief moment Severus caught a picture from his dark master’s mind. A picture of a young woman in a greenhouse washing her hands of dark soil and a young man with soiled handprints on his bare chest.

Severus shuddered at the anger of the feelings surrounding the image and jerked at the instant disconnection of the Dark Lord from his mind.

“Alastor Moody. He has always thought he could outsmart me.”
“Moody?” questioned Lucius, “Moody was there when Narcissa and I were attacked. I believe he did it.”

The Dark Lord looked at him, “Where were you?”

“The ruins at Tarmack. Narcissa got a note from Snape saying to meet here there.”

“I never sent that.”

“Really?” Lucius replied, “Are you saying that you were not in the attack?”

Severus looked at Lucius and chanced to play a game he wasn’t sure about, “I was not, no.”

“Then the Order has stolen your essence as well as my son’s because you were there with my son who was hanging off of that horrid mudblood Granger. He came to our sick room with her claiming to love that filth. I think my son has been placed under the imperius curse or they have taken his essence and are using polyjuice.”

“Tarmack?” the Dark Lord questioned seemingly having not heard anything else Lucius had been saying.

“Yes my lord, they took something from a chest and attacked us with boomslangs. Narcissa and I barely survived.”

The Dark Lord’s pale face turned white.

He knows thought Severus, He knows that the horcruxs have been tampered with now.

“Severus, do you know what they might be after?” asked the Dark Lord.

“No my lord. I have not been to meetings they have changed their meeting places.”

“LIAR, LIAR,” screamed a voice from a dark corner, “I swear my lord that he was at the meeting with Narcissa Malfoy. All four of them kids too. That little mudblood girl is quite yummy looking.”

Severus turned his head to see Mundangus Fletcher striding towards the Dark Lord.

“Silence. Your information has been useless. You better bring me something worthwhile or I will not be so lenient with you next time.”

Severus could see a deep scar running down from Fletcher’s left eye and running down his neck. I resembled a snake fang.

“Severus, rise, walk with me.”

Severus rose, looked oddly at Lucius for a moment then began to follow his Dark master.

“Severus, I want you to kill someone,” the Dark Lord said after he had waved Bellatrix away from them.

“My Lord?”

“I want you to kill Alastor Moody. With him dead the Order will fall apart. And I want you to bring Minerva McGonagall to me along with the mudblood girl Granger.”

“My Lord, I do not think I can bring both of them. McGonagall is sequestered in Hogwarts. No one knows where the Granger girl is.”

“Are you saying that your use is done Severus?”

“No my lord.”

“Good. I expect them to me before the full moon on the tenth of June. They will be given to Greyback to protect until the battle is over. I must check on some things first and retrieve the one thing I need to destroy Potter. Go, while I still trust you to do my bidding. Prove me wrong and you will wish I had killed you today.”

“Yes my lord.”

Severus apparated away instantly and strode through the back streets of Hogsmeade and into the Dark Forest. He came out by Albus’s grave where he stopped momentarily to look at the burn mark from the Phoenix on the stone.

He strode up to the castle and through the hidden passages until he came to the Headmistress’s office. Minerva was awake reading a stack of papers from the Ministry of Magic.

“Severus, you scared me. These papers scare me. The ministry wants proof that the muggle born children can do magic! The ministry has gone mad!”

“No. The Dark Lord has gotten to someone in there. Minerva, tell me about you and Alastor Moody in a greenhouse when you were about sixteen.”

Stoic Minerva’s face turned pale and her eyes showed a fear Severus had never seen before.

“He saw us?”

Severus nodded.